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Friday, April 27, 2012

Pre-Order My Book! (And the Cover Reveal!)

The time has finally come! My book, Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing: A Modern Guide to Couture-Style Sewing Using Basic Vintage Techniques, is available for pre-order on Amazon. Here's the product description (I can't believe I have a product description!):

Gretchen “Gertie” Hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, a sought-after
sewing teacher, and the creator of one of the web’s most popular sewing
blogs: Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing. The blog began as a way for
readers to follow Hirsch’s progress as she stitched all 14 fashions
from the iconic 1950s sewing book Vogue’s New Book for Better Sewing (a Julie & Julia–esque
experiment for the modern sewist). It quickly became a place for Hirsch
to share tutorials and lively posts about sewing as it relates to
fashion history, pop culture, body image, and gender. An extension of
the blog, Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing is a hardworking
reference title packed with lessons on couture techniques and
customization, as well as an inimitable pattern collection featuring 25
wardrobe essentials and variations inspired by vintage fashion and
Gertie’s spirited, modern style.

Readers, if you've enjoyed my blog, may I humbly ask that you support the book by pre-ordering it? This is a crucial time in showing bookstores that the book will sell if they carry it.

A few fun facts:

Can you spot Henry on the cover?

The dress I'm wearing is a brocade, short-sleeved version of the Wiggle Dress pattern (see below), which is included with the book, along with 9 other patterns. The patterns are printed on sturdy paper sheets and go from bust size 32" to 46".

The infamous green clogs made the cover!!!

I love the way the cover echoes VoNBBS, with the larger-than life sewing illustrations (done by a fabulous illustrator named Sun Young Park).

I think that's it for now. Of course, I will have many more things to tell you about the book between now and September 1st, when it officially releases!

I just preordered it from amazon.de. When I typed in your name, the first titles were "Talking Your Way to the Top: Business English That Works" and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Difficult Conversations". I was a bit confused... The title looks great!

Well, I just started sewing again in Jan. and bought Colette's book the week I started. Been looking for another book to add and YOU ARE IT! I am so excited to preorder this. I love, love, love your blog. Congrats to you!

Hello!First, CONGRATS!!! This book cover looks fabulous! Then I have a question: is the book worthwhile for beginners? I am a beginner, and I do not want to order it and be frustrated afterward. Btw, I love your blog. Keep up the good work!Christina

I read your entire blog in three days and I love it. It gives me hope that one day I will understand all the ins and outs of sewing. I love this blog so much. Congrats on you book I will be totally getting it because I like your voice and I like you new perspective on sewing. Its like watching youtube to learn how to crochet. I'm so excited!

I've followed your blog on and off for a while, always coming back when I need really good tips and I'm SO SO SO excited to see you have a book coming out! I will promote the crap out of it on my humble site! xo

That is so exciting for you, congratulations :) I've loved your blog for a what seems like ages, and I just pre-ordered the book on Book Depository (as I'm in Australia and appreciate the free shipping). I hope that pre-ordering it on there still counts towards helping you get it stocked in shops! Also I LOVE the cute name for the book! So fitting!

Congratulations Gertie! I see it on amazon.com but not on the Cdn site. SO I fired off an email and they got right back to me! It's listed for Cda and I pre-ordered it. I can't wait to make that wiggle dress.

Congratulations Gertie! I'm a long time reader, but have never commented (too shy). However, I love all the beautiful clothes you sew on your blog and wanted to let any fellow Australian readers know that if they're put off by Amazon's expensive post to the Antipodes, the book is also available for pre-order on BookDepository.co.uk, which posts free worldwide and has 10% off everything at the moment.

Congratulations! so thrilling! of course I have pre-ordered your lovely new book. While I must admit to being terribly old school in my sewing (advanced age and all) I am truly and utterly pleased to see what you're doing! You're a valued inspiration to sew many and your work and tutorials so fabulous to newbies and "experienced" alike.

Hey Gertie! You mentioned the patterns go from bust size 32" to 46". Can you tell us more about the sizes, which bust sizes go with which waist and hip measurements? I'd like to know if I need to alter the patterns before pre-purchasing the book. Have a good day and thanks, you are lovely!

I just pre-ordered and sent an email to my best friend for her to preorder too. I have been watching and waiting for this since you first breathed a word that you were writing a book. I can't wait to get it in my hands!!! Congratulations to you!!

Hi! I'm SO EXCITED your book is available for pre-order--just did it! I am going to tell everyone in my quilting class that they should order it too as they are all thinking about getting back into garment sewing and what better way that under your tutelage! I know it will be a big hit. Can you post on Burdastyle too? That would bring in lots of folks too.

Congratulations! I have been reading your blog for a long time but not commented before. I have just pre-ordered a copy from Amazon uk. Your blog has inspired me to get back into sewing again and I am really looking forward to reading your book.

I just pre-ordered it, albeit from amazon.co.uk, and I would've done so for the cover alone!(Although I am certain that the contents will live up to my expectations!) But what a fabulous cover it is! So cool that you grace the cover of your own book :-) The dress! The hair! The glasses! Them clogs! Congratulations, Gertie!

If I still sewed for myself or others I would be the first on my street (after your mother) to order the book. It will be a best seller for sure if the number of orders I saw on this site are an indication of things to come. Congratulations for a job well done. Knowing two authors in one family. Almost more than I can stand.

Congratulations! Is there a browse/ peek feature that shows which patterns are included? I ask because I pre-ordered the Colette book and was a little disappointed at the pattern selection (they were nice patterns, just not my style). Also are they (similar to Collette/ the big four in that they're targeted) towards curvy women? Also, a suggestion for preventing anonymous comments (and saving people's eyes from the hideous recaptcha game of blindness) is to install disqus. It automatically filters spam and allows response/ updates across platforms. Keep up the good work.

That's so funny! I didn't see this post on Friday, but I pre-ordered your book that day anyway! I was surfing Amazon and, on a lark, looked up "Gertie" to see if your book was listed. It was and I pre-ordered! Can't wait to see all the patterns and great info that I'm sure will be inside.

Oh, Gertie, you must be THRILLED! I'm excited, too—can't wait till this arrives in the mail! Good timing, too—just before we all find ourselves cooped up indoors for the winter. *quickly sashays over to Amazon to pre-order*

Gertie, this is so exciting! I want to pre order your book, but before I do I'd also like to know more about the sizes to make sure the patterns would fit me. What is the smallest waist size on your patterns?

I just pre-ordered the book as well! I have never anticipated a book release like this!(except Collette Patterns, you guys both take the cake)Congratulations! You are an inspiration to all entrepreneurs. Will you be signing all pre-order copies?! If you did I would seriously faint.

Just pre-ordered mine too! So exciting, I've been wondering what the cover would look like. Hope you make it to San Francisco on the book tour. I'd love to meet you in real life and shake your hand for being such an affirming and welcoming voice in the home sewing world.